Your response will be automated, but it sure shouldn’t sound that way. Your welcome email should feel like a firm handshake and sound like a friendly hello. From an upbeat subject line to an informative message, the welcome email is the first step in establishing what you hope will be a long and continuing relationship. And it is an expected courtesy. A recent survey showed that 74 percent of consumers who subscribe expect you to welcome them with an email.

There’s very good reason to put a lot of thought and effort into this first message to potential new customers. Welcome emails are opened 50 to 60 percent of the time, a much higher rate than most email marketing.

Here are some tips to make the most of this big opportunity:

1. In addition to a friendly welcome, tell your customers how often they will get email from you and what kinds of messages you’ll be sending.
2. Assure them that you are protective of their email and personal information and that you won’t share or sell it.
3. Tell them about special offers or coupons you will send by email. If you have a loyalty program, give them details about it.
4. Make it clear that if they aren’t interested in receiving your email messages, they can opt out at any time. Then, make it easy for them to do so. Also, remind them they can always update the information they have provided as their circumstances change.
5. After your welcome email, make sure subsequent emails are a mix of messages and information that have value to your customer. Promote products, describe new features or services, send reminders about appointments or maintenance, update them on their loyalty program points.
6. Vary the design and messages of your emails. You don’t want clients to feel as though they are receiving the same emails over and over.